Slider of a slide switch

This is a continuation application from application Ser. No. 860,532, filed May 7, 1986, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a slide switch, and more particularly to an improvement of a slider of a so-called dip switch configured to slidably move the slider to or away from a pair of fixed terminals on a wafer to close or open the switch.

The most usual prior art dip switch has a structure shown in FIGS. 4 6. In these drawings, fixed terminals 2 are provided on a wafer 1 and spaced by a distance from each other. A slider assembly 3 consists of a knob 4 integrally projecting from the upper surface thereof and movable contacts 3a and 3b at both lower ends thereof, so that the slider 3 is slidably moved via the knob 4 to bring the movable contacts 3a and 3b into or away from contact with the fixed terminals 2.

Since the fixed terminals 2 in the prior art dip switch arrangement are significantly spaced, contacts 2a at the opposed ends of the fixed terminals 2 most usually plated by a sheet of hoop of gold or other precious metal require a significant length A of the hoop. Also, since the slider 3 is configured to use both ends as movable contacts 3a and 3b for engagement or disengagement with respect to the fixed contacts 2a, both movable contacts 3a and 3b require gold or other precious metal plating. Therefore, the prior art dip switch arrangement increases the amount of gold or other precious metal.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a slider of a slide switch which saves the amount of gold or other precious metal used for plating.

The most broad feature of the invention is to provide only one of movable contacts of a slider of a slide switch with precious metal plating. More specifically, in a slide switch including a wafer, a pair of opposed, fixed terminals provided on said wafer, and a slider having bifurcated movable contacts at both ends for slidably contacting said fixed terminals, precious metal plating is provided on one of said movable contacts at one end of the slider but not on the other movable contact at the other end of the slider.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a dip switch having an improved slider embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the slider of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of fixed terminals shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art dip switch;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a slider shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of fixed terminals shown in FIG. 4.

The invention will be better understood from the description given below, referring to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, a wafer 10 carries a pair of opposed fixed terminals 11. The fixed terminals 11 have L-shaped or offset opposed ends so that projecting ends 11a thereof serving as fixed contacts interdigitate with each other with a crooked spacing channel therebetween so as to substantially align in the width direction of the fixed terminals 11. The interdigitating fixed contacts 11a can be fully plated by a sheet of hoop of gold or other precious metal with a narrow length B.

A slider assembly 12 is substantially trapezoid and has a knob 14 projecting upward from the upper surface to receive a force for slidably moving the slider 12. The slider 12 has bifurcated movable contact portions 13a and 13b at both ends. However, due to the interdigitating structure, fixed terminals 11 can be connected by a single pair of bifurcated movable contact portions 13b, for example, which are engageable with the fixed contacts 11a, straddling the spacing channel therebetween. Therefore, gold or other precious metal plating may simply be provided on the single pair of bifurcated movable contact portions 13b at one end and not on the contacts 13a at the other end.

During the on-state of the switch, the plated movable contact portions 13b take positions 15a (FIG. 3) overlapping the fixed contacts 11a, and the unplated movable contact portions 13a take positions 15b apart from fixed contacts 11a. However, unplated movable contact portions 13a take positions 15c and 15d both apart from fixed contacts 11a to open the switch.

As described, the inventive construction largely saves the amount of gold or other plating precious metal and hence reduces the manufacturing cost of the switch.